Diluting a high gravity beer

[DeMerch]

Hey guys,

I brewed a Rye PA this past weekend and the gravity ended up quite high 1.079 as opposed to my target of 1.070. I probably should have diluted the wort at that point, but it was a rough brew day and I just wanted it over. Anyway it's been fermenting away, but the more I think about it the more I don't really want to end up with an 8% beer. I guess my questions are a few fold. Any issues with adding some sanitized (boiled) water to the primary? Should I add it now, or wait for fermentation to finish up? I've got 20.5L of 1.079 wort, so by my math adding 2.5L of water should get me to where I want to be.

Thoughts?

[Jake]

I'd wait until after fermentation is over. I know this is how Molson typically does it in moncton if I remember correctly ... not that it should be an indicator of how to brew

[brew]

If you're adding water after fermentation, boiling will be safer as it helps get rid of Oxygen in the water. That said I've added straight water before and while I find it takes longer to balance out I never noticed an off taste...

[pliny]

Are you sure this is what you want to do? Add water.
Think about it carefully. If your beer has an OG of 1.079 and FG of let's say 1.022, you're looking at a 7.7% ABV.
Yes, it's a strong beer. If it does in fact end up at 1.022.
The risk of adding water and ending with a somewhat disappointing beer is greater than just leaving it as is with a somewhat strong beer.
Maybe it's because I have never added water to a beer. I hope you don't mind but it's just my opinion.

[robcoombs]

I'm with @pliny on this one. I too have never added water to a batch but I would just take notes to lower the OG next time I brewed it and deal with the higher abv. 8% is strong for a Rye PA but I find those beers typically have a lot of flavor and that alone may mask the higher abv.

[jamie_savoie]

X3
Adding water will also “dilute” your IBU and personally I wouldn’t want that since it’s the point of an IPA.  I’d prefer stronger IPA with proper IBU than a normal IPA with weak IBU.  Plus you have less chance of fucking up your beer.  rdwhahb
Just change the name for Double Rye PA and be easy on the serving size lol

[Jake]

ahhhh ... yea! what they said! Was this a trick question? ignore my first post   

[Al-Loves-Wine]

This is funny, my Rye PA I made a few weeks ago had the exact same gravity when I was shooting for around 1.072. No way I would ever dilute my beer though, I'm drinking that SOB and loving it. With big beer, less is more. 

[DeMerch]

Fine, you guys have shamed me enough to convince me to leave as is. I'll have to bottle this stuff instead of kegging it so I can hide it from my roommates.